Ohio Playwrights Circle is a new organization and this time will be set aside for folks to just show up and ask questions and to get a better understanding of what we are going to be doing. If you are a playwright, an actor, or a director who might like to participate but want more information, then these sessions are for you.

Michael London, OPC Director will be available during this time. Immediately following will be the Playwrighting Class at 6:00pm.

Come join us and get to know where we are going. You may want to participate or volunteer to help. You will be welcomed.

We are pleased to offer our first Playwrighting Class hosted by the Human Race Theatre Company, April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9, & 16, from 6:00-8:00pm.

This class is designed to take the mystery out of playwrighting and provide an introduction to new playwrights. The method of building a play is explored through a variety of exercises. The process involves a lot of writing, a lot of thinking, a lot of laughing, a lot of learning, and a lot of fun. The class is planned for novices and experienced playwrights alike and encourages the opportunity for playwrights to hear their work come to life. Actors and directors are welcome to be part of the process. We are just getting started but as we continue in this process we will update all on the unfolding details.

Michael M. London is an Ohio playwright who has worked with the artist-in-residence program at the Ohio Arts Council since 1986. His plays have been performed in the US and Canada. He has taught workshops and seminars on playwrighting over many years. Recently, he was a guest Professor in Playwrighting at Otterbein University. Michael is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

I’m Michael London and I am starting the ball rolling on this effort. I am a writer living in Ohio and a member of the Dramatists Guild. Finding places to study, practice and learn playwrighting in this area is challenging. That reality is what brought me to conceive of this project.

I have had this on my mind for some time. Colleagues in the Guild encouraged me to move forward with it when we met this past June in Washington, D.C.. So with the help and encouragement of friends and colleagues, I’m ‘getting off my butt’ to make it happen.

The idea for this project is simple. Make classes & workshops available for playwrights to study. Make opportunities for playwrights to hear their work read. Create opportunities for writers to learn from others in the storytelling business. Create networking opportunities for playwrights to know each other. And lastly, create opportunities for writers to work with another writer.

It won’t all happen at once. We’ll do a bit at a time and let it grow. We are beginning with classes and readings and public conversations. An annual retreat and the Writers Circle will come in time.

We are starting in Dayton, Ohio and we may move out to other parts of Ohio over time. Different communities have different needs. In Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative provides opportunities for the readings of members work. So there is probably no need for us to help coordinate anything there. However, if we can offer a service we’ll be open to extending our efforts to help. The same goes with other communities. We’ll find a host for other activities in different places as needed. I say we because I won’t be doing this alone. Others are already volunteering to help.

I’m very pleased at the generous invitation of the Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton, to use their space for our activities. They are hosting our first class, our first readings, and our first conversations in storytelling. They are such kind professionals to work with and have a commitment to creating new work in the theatre. Many thanks to them.

We’ll use this blog site as a primary source for information on activities but we’ll try our best to find as many other ways to share the updates on what’s happening next. You can find us on Facebook also. I’ll try to keep expanding the information and the opportunities as often as possible.

Ohio Playwrights Circle (OPC) exists to provide encouragement, opportunity, and education for Ohio Playwrights. It is also the hope of this project to provide opportunities for actors and directors to practice their craft and experience the challenges of creating new work. We will always strive to create an atmosphere of ... Continue reading →